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MLB WORLD SERIES: NATIONALS VS ASTROS

October 26, 2019

Dave Martinez

Washington, D.C. - postgame 4

Houston - 8, Washington - 1

Q. Max was saying that you guys had some mojo coming into the World Series. How do you rejuvenate now that you just dropped these last two?
DAVE MARTINEZ: We've been here pretty much all year. So now it's the best two out of three; right? We've got two of our big horses going in the next two games. We just come back.

We haven't hit the last couple of days, but I've got confidence we'll bounce back and be ready to play tomorrow. It's just one of those things. It's baseball. And it's the World Series.

I just told the boys, Hey, we're in the World Series. We're going to play Game 5, tied 2-2. Who would have thought that in the beginning? So here we are. Let's forget about it, can't do nothing about the last two games. Let's look ahead and get ready to play tomorrow.

Q. What are the adjustments it looks like the Astros have made to Soto? It looks like they changed the usage of breaking balls against him. What have you noticed?
DAVE MARTINEZ: I'm not overly concerned about what they're doing to him. I just want him to understand. He's really good when he stays in the middle of the field. He needs to stay in the middle of the field and take his walks. That's the key to him. Don't try to do too much and just stay in the middle of the field.

Q. What do you like about the matchup with Rodney and Brantley? Did you have any concern about Rodney facing Bregman the second night in a row, and Rodney pitching back-to-back games in general?
DAVE MARTINEZ: No, he's been pitching good. He made a really good pitch to a really good hitter, hit the ball at the end of the bat, got a base hit. The next pitch wasn't his best pitch. He tried to go in, didn't quite get it in. He tried to go in and the ball didn't sink in where he wanted it to be.

He's come in for two innings and done really well for us. But I like Rodney in that spot.

Q. Given that you guys have been here, like you said, all year, are you more comfortable with your backs somewhat against the wall?
DAVE MARTINEZ: I wouldn't say more comfortable. But the guys, they get it. It's been preached all year long: Hey, let's just worry about the here and now. And that's what I told them. I said, Hey, wake up tomorrow, think about going 1-0. Don't think ahead of the next game. Let's focus on the here and now, and let's go with that.

Q. If you guys score more than that one run in the bottom of the 6th and cut the deficit, would you have thought about using Doolittle or Hudson in the 7th?
DAVE MARTINEZ: Yeah, it definitely would have been different. Rainey has been our guy in the seventh inning. When he starts throwing balls, usually he can't come out of it. He got a big out for us. And I honestly thought that Rodney was, with the change-up on Brantley, which like I said, Brantley is a good hitter, he threw a good pitch, Brantley put the ball in play. After that he just made one mistake and Bregman got him.

Q. Was there anything in particular you saw going on with Corbin in that first inning, especially with his slider?
DAVE MARTINEZ: No, for me, he just got -- he starts the game, he gets a little quick. But then he settled down for a little bit and then Chirinos hit a good change-up.

Q. Just back on the pitching thing for a second in the 7th. Was there any concern about Hudson in terms of not when you bring him into the game, but you're down or is it just that you like the matchup, as well?
DAVE MARTINEZ: Yeah, and you don't -- for me, you don't chase wins. Come tomorrow we're up 2-0, and all of a sudden we're in the 7th inning, you have to use Hudson for two innings, you have to use Doolittle for two innings. You want those guys ready to pitch. I know we got a day off the next day. All this was talked about before the game.

But you're down still three runs, and like I said, Rainey has done well for us. It just happens he couldn't throw strikes tonight.

Q. Just sort of picking up from before the game and looking ahead to tomorrow, Suzuki is still on the roster. Could you have used him tonight if you needed to and then what is the outlook tomorrow?
DAVE MARTINEZ: He was available in an emergency. Hopefully he feels a lot better tomorrow. We'll see how he feels better tomorrow.

He usually catches Max. If he feels better, I know he's in there getting treatment right now, and if he wakes up, he's going to come in early and work on his hip flexor. If he feels good, then possibly he gets a chance to play.

Q. Will Harris has been a really big weapon for them this series. He got a few more really big outs tonight. What have you seen from him and why do you think he's been so effective when he's been on the mound?
DAVE MARTINEZ: Oh, he's been unbelievable, lights out. He hasn't really given up a run. He's got a good cutter and a good curveball keeps the guys off balance. He pitches at the top of the zone with the cutter. And when he's effective, he throws strikes.

And that's the thing, for us today, it was all about the walks. I think the walks got us. When you're in these games like this and you've got a team like the Houston Astros and you allow them to get free bases, they've got pretty good hitters, you're going to end up paying.

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